A modern trend in vehicle design—primarily in vans or minivans—involves providing a small triangular pane or triangular design element in the front area of the passenger compartment on the side. In particular, the latter element painted the same color as the vehicle. This triangular element is accommodated in the space formed between the A-column, cross strut and lateral wall section.
The cross strut is used to brace the A-column. This must be viewed in particular from the standpoint of passenger compartment design, in which the windshield is arranged rather flatly, and the A-column extends up to the B-column of the passenger compartment arranged behind the front door of the motor vehicle.
A motor vehicle of the kind mentioned at the outset is known from DE 10 2005 016 993 A1. It also refers to the A-column as the A1-column, while the cross strut joined with this column is labeled as the A2-column. In this motor vehicle, a screen secured to the A1-column by clips covers the A1-column.
Motor vehicles, in particular passenger cars, are equipped with a plurality of airbags for safety considerations, which are intended to protect the vehicle occupants during a crash. In the area of the A-column and roof area of the passenger compartment adjacent to the doors and side windows, there are one or more head airbags, so-called roof rail airbags, which are situated between a cladding section or cladding sections and the mentioned area of the passenger compartment. When the airbags are activated, the deploying airbags move the cladding section away from the passenger compartment, in particular away from the A-column, and the airbag exits into the headroom area of the vehicle interior. It must here be ensured that the cladding section does not become detached. In other words, the cladding section must be prevented from being hurled away when the airbag is activated. DE 10 2006 002 467 A1 and US 2005/0116447 A1 describe cladding sections for airbags in motor vehicles, in particular in conjunction with head airbags.
At least one object of the present invention is to increase the safety of passengers during a crash in a motor vehicle of the kind mentioned at the outset.
One embodiment of the invention describes a complete cladding of the A-column and cross strut, which is easy to manufacture and assemble, wherein the goal is to ensure a simple and reliable deployment of the airbag. In addition, other objects, desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent summary and detailed description, and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.